[Sarah Jane Adventures 05] - Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane

by RUPERT LAIGHT

  ‘I’ll give you a hand,’ offered Alan.

  ‘Ooh, Andrea, now’s your chance,’ teased Chrissie.

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ll bring him back. If he’s good.’ Alan followed Andrea out of the living room and into the kitchen.

  ‘I’ve got some paper cups somewhere,’ she said, under her breath. ‘Saves wear and tear.’ She rummaged in a cupboard. ‘Now… where did I put them?’

  ‘What does the name Maria mean to you?’ asked Alan, his tone suddenly serious and urgent.

  ‘Eh?’ replied Andrea, casually, and she looked up. ‘I don’t know. Ave Maria? Maria Callas? Maria who works down the petrol station?’ She turned away and carried on searching through the cupboard. ‘Which Maria?’

  Alan was convinced she was hiding something. Her tone was just too casual, too innocent. ‘My daughter Maria!’ He couldn’t disguise his anger any more. ‘Where is she?’

  ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

  ‘I think you do! You remember! And so do I!’ he barked. ‘And whatever you’ve done, I’m going to get her back!’

  ‘You mustn’t, please.’ Andrea’s tone changed completely. She was now staring him directly in the eye. She looked sad and sorry, Alan thought. Her mouth turned down at the edges and her eyes blinking like a child’s.

  ‘It’s you!’ he hissed. ‘You’re at the centre of it all! I know about the accident! I know about Sarah Jane!’

  Chapter Nine

  The truth

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ said Andrea, shaking her head. It was clear her confessional moment had passed, and her face returned to a sweet, if somewhat cold, smile.

  Alan had to get her to confess. He now knew for sure that she was lying. ‘You came over the road,’ he said, and took a step closer, fixing her with a cold stare. ‘You got me out of the way. Then the next minute she was gone.’

  ‘I asked you to help me with my banner, that’s all.’ If anything, Alan knew that the silver box he had in his pocket would prove he was on to her. He pulled it out and held it up to the light so she could take a good, long look.

  ‘Where did you get that?’ Andrea asked, tensing.

  ‘What have you done with her?’

  ‘The whole world’s forgotten her. Now it’s your word against mine.’ Andrea suddenly changed again to the cool, calm villain he’d seen for a moment earlier. A confession at last? So she did have something to do with his daughter’s disappearance.

  ‘But I haven’t forgotten,’ hissed Alan, through gritted teeth. ‘This box, it protected Maria, and now it’s protected me.’

  ‘I was going to forget,’ said Andrea, her face now falling and her eyes filling with tears. ‘He promised me. One night’s sleep and I’d have forgotten her.’

  ‘Who?’ demanded Alan. ‘Who promised you?’ He was so close to finding the truth. ‘Come on, tell me! Where is she?’ he yelled.

  ‘You’d never believe me.’

  ‘I think I would. Andrea, please. Tell me.’

  ‘It was years ago,’ said Andrea, as she sat down on a stool in the attic. ‘I was thirteen. But I thought I was so grown up. I thought I knew it all. Indestructible, that’s what I was. And I had this friend…’ She trailed off. The tears were welling up and she was finding it hard to remember her old school friend. She looked up at Alan who was sitting a few feet away, his arms folded. ‘Oh, Alan, I’m so sorry. I had this friend called Sarah Jane Smith…’

  Andrea’s mind drifted back to the summer of 1964. She remembered that boring geography field trip to Westport, and how the two of them had raced down the pier, looking for adventure, ignoring all the warning signs.

  ‘If we’ve come all the way to the seaside,’ Andrea recalled herself shouting, ‘then I wanna see the flamin’ sea!’

  Sarah Jane had protested, of course. She always did. She was so much more sensible than Andrea. ‘We’re due back at the bus soon,’ she’d pointed out. And we still haven’t been round the museum. Jeffers will skin us!’

  But Andrea had ignored her friend. She wanted some fun. Always in pursuit of fun, that was Andrea. Nothing stood in her way when it came to having a good time.

  ‘We larked about on the pier for a bit,’ she told Alan. ‘Then I went to the edge. There was nothing there…’

  She remembered how she had rushed to the very end of the pier, wanting to be as far out to sea as possible. However, as she’d raced towards the railings, they hadn’t stopped her as she’d expected them to, but had given way, and she had fallen.

  Andrea could still feel what it was like to have nothing beneath her feet, just the cold breeze streaming against her bare legs, making her dress fly up. And she remembered how her stomach had felt — queasy and full — and how she wanted to scream out, but she couldn’t.

  She told Alan how relieved she had been when she had managed to grab hold of something — a piece of metal jutting out from the girders that supported the pier. And all she could hear was Sarah Janes screams and her name being called over and over again. But she couldn’t reply. She was too terrified to make a sound. It had felt like being in one of those dreams where you desperately want to cry out, but nothing will come out of your mouth.

  ‘Andrea, grab my hand!’ her friend had shouted. ‘Grab my hand, Andrea! Grab my hand! Come on, Andrea!’

  Andrea remembered how she felt her sweaty palms starting to lose grip on the metal, and how she couldn’t reach up to where Sarah Jane was leaning forward trying to help her. All she could do was cling on for her life. But even that wasn’t working.

  ‘I tried and tried, but I couldn’t hold on,’ she told Alan, the tears tracing a path down her cheeks as she remembered that terrible day all those years ago. ‘But then I heard this voice… “You don’t have to die,” it called. “I can save you. Someone has to fall, but it doesn’t have to be you. You only have to agree. Let her die in your place.’”

  Andrea couldn’t look Alan in the eye. She let her gaze fall to the floor. ‘I felt my fingers slipping. I couldn’t hang on any longer. So I said yes.’

  Andrea buried her face in her hands, ashamed to be telling her neighbour this story. It was a terrible thing to admit to, but she had to unburden herself to someone.

  After that, I found myself back on the pier. I was safe,’ she confessed, after a pause. ‘It was Sarah Jane who was dangling from the pier now.’

  She remembered how confusing it had been at the time. One second she was about to die, the next it was her friend who was in deadly danger. How had it happened? It was like a crazy dream — a nightmare. She was relieved it wasn’t her any more, but terrified for Sarah Jane. Would she be blamed for this? Had she made it happen?

  ‘Andrea! Help me!’ her friend had screamed. ‘Help me!’

  ‘What happened?’ Andrea remembered calling, confused. ‘Sarah Jane, take my hand! Take my hand!

  But her friend couldn’t reach. And in what felt like both a split second and an eternity, she watched Sarah Jane Smith fall into the deep, grey water. Gone forever.

  ‘She was just a kid,’ sobbed Andrea.

  ‘What happened then?’ asked Alan.

  ‘This is the strangest part. I looked up and there was this tall figure in a black cloak. He had no face.’ She paused. ‘He gave me a box. Just like yours. He told me that I’d forget what had happened. But regardless of whether I was awake or asleep, he said he’d always be with me. Whoever he is.’

  Andrea explained that she had passed out after that, and when she awoke, the figure was gone. ‘I remembered the accident, but he made me forget everything else.’

  She reached behind her, and from a pile of junk, pulled out her own version of the silver box. She held it up. ‘I never knew how I got this. But, somehow, I knew I couldn’t throw it away.’ Andrea paused and dried her eyes with a tissue. ‘Then when Maria came over this morning shouting about Sarah Jane, it all came back. The voice, the deal I made —’

  ‘Sacrificing your friend to save your own life
!’ broke in Alan, with a bitter edge to his voice.

  ‘I was thirteen. I was terrified,’ replied Andrea, struggling to defend herself. ‘Can you imagine what it’s like — to know you’re going to die? To feel the end of everything closing in on you?’ She stared at Alan, hoping he’d understand. But his cold expression told her he had no sympathy for what she’d done. ‘Why am I even asking? I’m the only person alive who could possibly know.’

  She started to cry again.

  ‘She was your friend!’

  ‘And I loved her!

  ‘Yeah, right,’ Alan scoffed.

  ‘I did!’ said Andrea, firmly, seeing the disgusted frown on his face. ‘Don’t look at me like that!’

  Andrea thought back on what Sarah Jane had been like when they were at school together. ‘Oh, she was funny. I used to crack up. The things she said. She was clever, not swotty. In class she didn’t even have to try.’

  Andrea paused and turned away. ‘I had to do it. I had to survive.’

  ‘And the minute you remembered, you did it again. Today. To Maria.’ Alan shook his head disapprovingly. ‘If I didn’t have this box I would’ve forgotten my own daughter.’

  ‘I had to send her away,’ said Andrea, knowing she’d done the wrong thing.

  ‘What could Maria do to you?’

  ‘She made me remember. She made me face what I did.’

  Andrea crossed the room, sobbing as she went, and stood in front of the dusty mirror. Its dim glass showed Alans reflection. Then beside him there suddenly appeared the hooded figure of the Trickster.

  ‘What do you want me to do?’ asked the black-cowled shape.

  Andrea looked at Alan. He hadn’t heard the voice, nor could he see what she could see. ‘And yes, now I’ve done it again — sent your daughter away,’ she told him, sadly. ‘And how can I face that?’

  ‘I can send him away too, but you must agree,’ said the Trickster, in his eerie whisper.

  ‘I agree! I agree!’ said Andrea, to the creature in the mirror.

  ‘Agree to what?’ asked Alan, confused.

  ‘I’m so sorry…’ said Andrea, and she moved quickly over to Alan and knocked the silver box out of his hand. It clattered to the floor, and at the same time there was a flash of brilliant blue light and the Graske appeared out of nowhere. The creature gave a chilling growl and lunged for Alan.

  Alan leapt up, dodged it and raced out of the room.

  The Graske raced after him.

  Chapter Ten

  The meteor approaches

  The meteor is on a collision course with Britain, but the RAF has released a statement saying they are confident it can be shot down,’ proclaimed the newsreader. ‘The missiles are already being prepared.’

  ‘This is amazing!’ Clyde gasped, as he and the other party guests stared in disbelief at the TV screen.

  ‘Oh, let the Army deal with it,’ said Chrissie, dismissively. ‘It’s what they get paid for.’ She paused. ‘I wonder what’s keeping Alan.’

  Chrissie pushed past the guests and went out into the hallway. At that moment, her ex-husband came tearing down the stairs, dashed straight past her and careered out through the front door.

  Before she had time to call after him, something even more bizarre happened. A tiny, hideous-looking creature came thumping down the stairs after him. It growled at Chrissie then scurried after Alan.

  ‘Well, that’s just ridiculous,’ she snorted.

  Out on Bannerman Road, the Graske surveyed his surroundings, sniffing the air. Everywhere was silent. There was no one in sight.

  Just then, with a screeching of rubber against tarmac, Alan came skateboarding round the corner at tremendous speed.

  The Graske barely had time to register the figure sailing towards him, let alone dodge out of the way, and he was knocked off his feet and onto the hard ground.

  ‘I’m telling you,’ huffed Chrissie, as she returned to the living room, ‘my ex-husband and a dwarf in a suit! Now I’ve seen it all!’

  ‘Just shut up and listen!’ ordered Clyde.

  ‘The meteor is now approximately ten minutes from impact,’ said the newsreader. ‘But… hold on… we have some breaking news.’ He put a finger to his earpiece. ‘I’m being told… it’s been confirmed… I’m sorry.’ His voice took on a grave tone. The missile strike has failed.’

  ‘It’s gonna hit us!’ yelled Clyde, horrified. ‘It’s going to blow up Earth!’

  Andrea entered the room and stared at the TV screen.

  Outside there was a deep, sinister rumbling. It was the meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere. The massive ball of rock was sending out powerful vibrations that were starting to shake the entire house.

  ‘Can you hear it?’ yelled Clyde. ‘That’s it!’ He raced out of the room.

  Chrissie and the other guests quickly followed him, chattering worriedly amongst themselves.

  Only Andrea remained behind. ‘But it can’t be…’ she murmured to herself. ‘Why’s this happening now?’ She ran out through the front door and joined the others on Bannerman Road.

  People from neighbouring houses were also out on the street. Every one of them was staring up at the sky, their mouths wide open, expressions of disbelief plastered across their faces.

  There it is!’ called Clyde, pointing up at the sky.

  Thundering towards them, growing bigger by the second, was a vast ball of rock, clearly scorching hot, and spewing out clouds of black gas.

  They’ll find a way to deal with it,’ said Clyde, shakily. ‘They’ve got to.’

  ‘That’s real though!’ said Chrissie. ‘There’s no way of stopping it now!’

  ‘Maria said, “Sarah Jane can stop the meteor”,’ Andrea muttered, under her breath.

  But no one heard her…

  Alan had dragged the semiconscious Graske into the living room of number thirty-six. Having tied the creature up with some rope he kept under the stairs, Alan straddled him, making sure he was unable to escape. ‘You took my daughter!’ he shouted.

  ‘Set me free!’ growled the Graske, struggling to shake off his bonds.

  ‘Bring her back!’ demanded Alan as he stared at this creature he could hardly believe in. What was it? An alien? A sprite? A dream? No, this was real enough, Alan thought to himself. ‘Where is she?’

  ‘I must be free! I must move! I cannot be still or I will die!’

  ‘Then tell me where you took Maria!’

  ‘He said to take her,’ snarled the creature. ‘I must do as he says.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘He is the Trickster. He waits outside Time. To bring chaos.’

  The Graske tried again to wriggle free of the ropes, but Alan just held him down with greater force. He was determined to get an answer, to find out where his daughter had been taken. ‘That meteor is coming in. It means the end of the world. The end of you, too.’

  ‘You people are stupid — you don’t matter.’

  ‘And you’re so clever you let yourself become a slave?’

  ‘A Graske is never enslaved!’

  ‘You look pretty tied up to me,’ said Alan.

  ‘Must be free!’ The Graske wriggled frantically, gnashing its pointed little teeth as it did so.

  ‘Then show me how to get Maria back! ’ demanded Alan. ‘Now!’

  ‘The snare will retrieve her,’ the Graske spat out, after a pause. ‘Then you set me free!’

  Alan spotted something attached to the creature’s belt. It was a strange, alien-looking gun. He pulled it out and examined it. ‘Is this what you mean?’

  The Graske grunted an affirmation.

  Alan held up the device and looked it over carefully. It was like nothing he’d ever seen before. He pressed a hexagonal button on the side, and he felt a strange shock of energy pulse through the device. The room seemed to vibrate for a moment, and when he looked around him, all the photographs of Maria had reappeared.

  Then, with a flash of blue light, Maria herself appeared.r />
  Alan was so relieved. ‘Maria!’ he shouted, and they ran into one another’s arms and hugged.

  ‘Dad! You’re a genius!’

  ‘No, no, no, listen!’ stammered Alan. ‘The meteor, you were right, it’s heading straight for us!’

  ‘We can stop it,’ said Maria. ‘But we need Sarah Jane.’

  ‘I don’t remember Sarah Jane.’

  ‘Dad, trust me! You remembered me when I disappeared, yeah? Well, I remember Sarah Jane. And she’s the only person who can save us!’

  ‘How?’ asked Alan. ‘She’s just a normal woman, isn’t she?’

  ‘She’s a lot more than that. Now — you’ve got to help me. We can get Sarah Jane back. Whatever you did with that thing,’ she said, pointing at the gun, ‘do it again!’

  Alan aimed the device at the ceiling and pushed the button. But nothing happened this time. Sarah Jane did not appear.

  ‘I got put back here — where I belong,’ mused Maria. ‘She’ll be where she belongs.’ She paused. ‘Her attic!’

  Maria and her dad raced out of the room, leaving the Graske alone.

  He shook himself from side to side, making growling noises all the while, struggling to break the ropes. Eventually, with a massive heave, they snapped and he was free. He then clambered to his feet and teleported away.

  Out on Bannerman Road people were running, screaming, dashing about, as the meteor barrelled ever closer to them.

  ‘Mum!’ called Maria, as she raced out of the house.

  ‘Oh, it’s too late, sweetheart!’ cried Chrissie. ‘It’s too late for all of us! I’m sorry for all the times I let you down and all the — ’

  ‘Not now!’ Maria pushed past her mum and dashed into number thirteen.

  Alan raced in after her.

  Chapter Eleven

  The return

  Andrea stood alone in the attic. ‘Please!’ she begged, holding the silver box at arm’s length. You saved me once before — you can do it again.’ She paused, shook her head despairingly and closed her eyes. ‘Please!’

  Nothing happened. She opened them again and looked around her. Something caught her eye. Something in the mirror.